


Having It All

by hermioneclone



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cold War, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Family Feels, Forced Relationship, Happy Ending, Historical, Mildly Dubious Consent, Minor Character Death, Misogyny, Multi, Non-Consensual Groping, Self-Defense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-10
Updated: 2015-10-10
Packaged: 2018-04-25 05:03:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4947742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hermioneclone/pseuds/hermioneclone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peggy Carter is perfectly happy with her job at the SSR and her life with Angie Martinelli, thank you very much. But someone wants to stop her rise in the agency and concocts the perfect plan to get Peggy out: find her a third partner so she can settle down in a Triad and start a family like a proper woman. But Daniel Sousa isn’t about to be used to get to his friend and is willing to protect her no matter the personal cost. As they fight against the powers that be, Peggy, Angie and Sousa just might find that is really is possible to have it all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Having It All

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to thank my artist, raving_liberal, for this amazing playlist, gorgeous cover art, and fabulous SSR divider icon. Click the link below to connect to her masterpost page and download the playlist. 
> 
> I'd also like to thank my beta themarblestreetcar for their very helpful suggestions and catching all of those pesky typos! They are the reason you can read this story!
> 
> I want to note a few things about this fic:
> 
>   * The Dubious Consent warning is situational. Any implied sexual interactions (nothing explicit in this one) are firmly consensual between the individuals involved.
>   * The timeline varies from the actual MCU so that the plot could fit into a certain historical period.
>   * The minor character death is referring to characters believed to be dead at the time of the narrative (though as in canon MCU, are actually alive).
> 

> 
> This has been a really fun and challenging story to work on. I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

 

 

[Click here to view the masterpost and to download the playlist!](http://raving-liberal.livejournal.com/1013381.html)

It was a pleasant day on the tail end of an unbearably hot summer, however the gentle autumn breeze did not penetrate the windows of the office of Calvin Harper, director of the Strategic Scientific Reserve. The blinds remained down; only the barest hint of sunlight filtered through. The room was mutely lit by an assortment of ornate lamps acquired through relations with foreign dignitaries. A group of four men sat around a mahogany table; Director Harper at the head, Assistant Director Charles Molby, head of staffing Jack O’Leary and Mr. Q, whose affiliation was only known by the director.

“Gentlemen, I think we have come to a conclusion?” Harper said as he looked around to the others at the table, who all gave nods in the affirmative. A sharp knock on the door echoed throughout the space. “Come in,” Director Harper told their long awaited visitor. He was right on time. The door swung open and an impeccably dressed man limped into the room, the gentle thud of his crutch controlled like a man well used to the device. “Agent Sousa,” Harper greeted crisply. “Please take a seat.”

Sousa’s eyes darted around the table. “I didn’t realize when you asked to see me that we’d have an audience, Director,” the man said lightly, though his guard was clearly up.

“The four of us have a problem. And we think that you are the perfect man for the job.”

Sousa’s brow furrowed. “What kind of job?”

Harper smiled, though there was nothing friendly about the gesture. “We need to eliminate Peggy Carter. And you are going to help us.”

Peggy was tired of fighting.

When she was younger, in her early days as an agent, it was her biggest motivation. She knew people underestimated her because she was a woman and she used that to her advantage. She took great pleasure in proving people wrong. But now, after ten years of fighting twice as hard for barely half the respect, she was growing weary.

Over a decade she had given the SSR, and now they were trying to force her out.

They didn’t come out and say it in so many words but the instructions were clear. She needed to find herself in a triad by year's end or she would be out of a job. They not so subtly suggested that an untriaded woman working in the agency at her age would seem suspicious and could come to the attention of Senator McCarthy, who had already accused several high ranking government officials of communist tendencies. Her status as a foreigner would certainly not help matters.

Raising a hand, Peggy signaled the bartender. “Another scotch on the rocks,” she ordered, pushing the cool glass of melting ice across the counter towards him. “Better make it a double.”

“Peggy? Is that you?” a familiar voice cut through the din of the bar. A man suddenly appeared next to her, resting his crutch against the bar before hopping onto a stool.

“Daniel?” she asked in disbelief. “It’s been too long.” She leaned over and pulled him into a brief hug without thinking; he stiffened slightly at the gesture and she retreated, slightly confused. Clearly she had made a mistake, though for the life of her she couldn’t figure out what it could be. Perhaps she’d be able to figure it out if she hadn’t just swallowed down two drinks in about ten minutes. “I thought you had been transferred to Washington,” she said, pulling back and taking a sip of her new drink, the burn of the alcohol going down her throat a welcome distraction.

Sousa smiled tightly; there was something off for sure. “I was. I have an assignment in New York right now.”

Peggy frowned at him a little. “Are you alright?”

His eyes widened like a deer caught in the headlights. He was usually better about keeping his cool in any situation. Huh. “I could ask the same thing about you. I never thought you were much of a drinker.”

Peggy drained the glass, feeling warm and fuzzy and bitter. “I’m not.”

“Rough day?” Sousa asked, taking a sip from a soda water the bartender had delivered while they were getting reacquainted.

Peggy shot him a tight smile. “You could say that. They want me out of the agency.” Sousa didn’t look very surprised at that. His lack of reaction really should have meant something, but her mind was not really under her control anymore, not entirely. That realization partially petrified her, but she knew that she could handle herself. She’d probably get a stern talking to from Angie when she got home, but she could hold her own. Besides, Sousa was there. He’d always had a little bit of a crush on her. With any other man (except maybe Steve) that would have been a bad thing, but she trusted him.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

She smiled wryly. “You and me both.”

“Is there anything I can do?” Sousa asked tentatively.

Peggy shook her head, instantly regretting the motion. _Maybe I need to slow down a little_ , she thought dimly. “It’s coming from the top, Daniel. I either am in a triad by the end of the year or I’m out.” She let out an aggravated sigh. “How am I going to tell Angie? It’s not fair to ask her...it’s only a job.”

Sousa frowned. “One you’re damn good at.

Peggy smiled at him faintly. “If only that were enough.”

“Hey,” he started, gently placing his hand over hers. “You’re not going to find the answer at the bottom of a bottle and you’re probably not going to figure it out in the state you’re in-”

“I’m quite alright,” Peggy bristled, wincing at the slur of her words.

Sousa hid a grin. “Clearly. Look, how about you let me take you home? I’m sure Angie must be worrying about why you’re not there yet.”

Peggy shrugged as she let him help her off the stool. “She’s used to me keeping strange hours by now.”

“Still, you should sleep this off, we can talk about it in the morning.”

She looked at him in confusion. “We?”

Sousa shrugged, looking very uncomfortable. “You’re my friend, Peggy. I know it’s been a while...but I care about you. I want to help.”

Something softened in Peggy’s chest and she was overcome by a surge of gratitude for running into her old friend. “I appreciate that.” They made their way to the exit of the bar almost without incident; however, a few meters from the door Peggy suddenly was overwhelmed by the unforgiving stench of body odor as someone suddenly intruded on her personal space. She felt a pressure on her ass as an unknown hand squeezed and she acted on instinct, grabbing the perpetrator's arm and flipping him to the ground. Hard. Her head spun as Sousa quickly ushered her outside, the brisk night air a shock to her system.

Peggy stumbled towards an alley, quickly relieving the contents of her stomach as Sousa soothingly rubbed her back. Eventually she staggered to her feet, wiped her mouth and sank into Sousa’s side. “I’m ready to go now,” she informed him as if the past few minutes hadn’t happened. His soft chuckles echoed next to her ear, sending warm tendrils of feeling down her spine as he lead her into the night towards his car.

Angie wasn’t worried per se. It wasn’t like Peggy coming home late was an unusual occurrence. Half the time it was Angie herself who was the one slipping into the house in the middle of the night when she was wrapped up in a production, at least when things were normal. She was in between jobs at the moment, needing to take a break to recuperate after a grueling year of performing and a short but draining illness. Angie was already feeling better, itching to get back out to auditions before all of her precious progress was lost to the fickle hands of time. But Peggy wouldn’t hear of it. She fussed too much sometimes.

But this morning Peggy had promised to come home in time to share a special anniversary dinner. So either something was wrong or she was just out on a case and didn’t get a chance to telephone before she left. Or it could be a mix of both. Angie tried not to dwell on that thought.

A knock on the door shook Angie from her thoughts, an icy chill seeping through her veins as her mind flashed to the stories she had heard of the families of the fallen being notified. Refusing to succumb to her visions of the worst, Angie rushed to the door, opening it slightly though leaving the chain in place. She gasped once she saw Peggy slumped against a man with a crutch. “Who are you?” she demanded. “What did you do to her?”

“I’m Agent Daniel Sousa, I used to work with Peggy at the S.S.R.. I ran into her at McClellan's, I just wanted to make sure she got home safe,” he explained earnestly. Angie wanted to believe him, but she had been with Peggy long enough to know that not everyone was what they appeared. She did vaguely remember the name from years gone by, knew that this was someone her partner respected. Whether or not he was still worthy of this respect was another thing entirely.

“How do I know I can trust you?”

Sousa shrugged. “You can’t. Look, you don’t have to let me in. I just wanted to get her home.”

Something about the exchange made up Angie’s mind for her; Peggy always said she had good intuition. She just hoped that she was making the right call. She closed the door, slid the chain out of the catch and opened the door to gesture them to enter. “You sure she’s just drunk?” Angie asked as Agent Sousa maneuvered Peggy to rest against her instead of him.

“As far as I know,” Sousa replied, looking concerned. “She’d already had a few drinks by the time I found her.”

“Lucky you happened to be at the same bar then, hmm?” Angie remarked as he helped a grumbling and clinging Peggy towards the bedroom.

“Yeah. Lucky,” Sousa replied darkly, his face growing tired and closed off.

“Oh?” Angie asked, raising an eyebrow.

He looked up to meet her gaze with sad eyes. “It’s a long story.”

Angie pointed to the kitchen table. “One you are going to tell me once I get Little Miss Lightweight over here settled in. Sit.”

When Angie returned, Sousa had situated himself into the seat, worrying his crutch through his fingers in what appeared to be an unconscious habit. He seemed lost in thought, jumping a little as she pulled out the chair next to him, smiling briefly when the sound of the wood scraping against the floor startled him. He might be an agent, but she was no spring chicken. She knew how to maintain the upper edge when she needed to. “Why was she drinking?”

Sousa looked up at her seriously. “She’s being forced out of the S.S.R..”

That would explain it. Angie had a difficult time imagining Peggy as a civilian; anyone who worked with her should have known how foolish the idea was. “In what way?”

Sousa swallowed audibly. “Well, they told her she had to find a triad by the end of the year.” Angie let out a low whistle. She knew that some of Peggy’s bosses were regular power hungry SOBs, but this, meddling in the personal affairs of their agents like this? It was downright creepy. “What she doesn’t know is that it doesn’t matter. They want her gone either way. And they sent me to accelerate the process.”

“Excuse me?” Angie demanded, the color leaving her face as a grim expression settled over her features. “You didn’t just happen to run into Peggy tonight, did you?”

Shaking his head in the negative, Sousa sighed. “I was sent there to seduce her. And by extension you, I suppose.”

A pregnant pause filled the air as Angie mulled over his words. “You don’t seem too thrilled by the idea.”

“I’m not,” Sousa assured her. “Look, the only reason I agreed to take this on was because I knew that if it wasn’t me, they’d find someone else. Someone who doesn’t know Peggy, who doesn’t respect her. It was the only way I could think of to make sure she comes out of this in one piece.”

Angie frowned. “So you want to ease the transition out? Do you share the opinion that she should leave the agency?”

“Of course not. But it’s not up to me.”

Angie nodded. “And you haven’t told Peggy about any of this?”

Sousa sighed. “Like I said. She was already a few drinks in when I got to her. As we were leaving the bar, she flipped a guy onto his back for getting handsy with her.” Anger flared up in her chest that some creep dared touch her girl, even if she knew Peggy was perfectly capable of handling such a threat. “I figured my news would go over better once she was sober.”

Angie shot him a wry smile. “Probably.”

Sousa pushed himself to his feet. “I should probably get going. Would it be alright if I stop by in the morning?”

“It’d probably be for the best,” Angie consented.

“Well then,” Sousa muttered as he prepared to take his leave. “It was nice to finally meet you.”

“Likewise.” Angie wasn’t sure if it was the truth, but something about him intrigued her. She would know for sure soon enough, she supposed.

Peggy was pretty sure that someone had authorized the dropping of another atomic bomb. On her head. It was the only explanation for the dull thud of her pounding headache, her hypersensitivity to the light filtering in through the shades. She pulled the covers up to block out the world, willing herself to fall back to sleep when she heard the door creak open and she let out a corresponding groan.

“I’m making breakfast, if you’d like to join me,” Angie whispered, her voice soft but commanding. Peggy knew she didn’t have much choice in the matter. Moving glacially slow, she inched out of bed, keeping her eyes as shut as possible as she trudged towards the kitchen. Eggs sizzled in the frying pan and the smell of fresh coffee wafted under her nose, first smelling amazing before curdling, sending a wave of nausea through her.

“I don’t think I can keep anything down,” Peggy complained as she sagged into one of the chairs at the small square table. She fiddled with the fringe on the tablecloth, trying to distract herself from the many ills that were screaming to be heard. This was absurd. She was an agent of the S.S.R. for crying out loud. A few drinks should not have knocked her out so much. She desperately tried sorting the different thoughts in her head, but none of it felt coherent.

“You’ll feel better if you eat,” Angie chastised her, placing a steaming plate on the table in front of Peggy before pressing a gentle kiss to her temple.

“Doubtful,” Peggy huffed before dutifully picking up her fork and digging in. She wouldn’t want to offend Angie, after all. She choked down the first few bites, but after a few minutes her stomach did seem to settle a little and she suddenly realized how thirsty she was.

Angie slipped into the seat next to her, knocking her slippered foot against Peggy’s leg gently. “What do you remember about last night?” she asked tentatively, biting her lip. A sinking pit formed in Peggy’s stomach; something was wrong.

“Did I do something embarrassing?” Peggy joked, desperately hoping that her gut was wrong.

“Margaret Louise Carter,” Angie sighed. The full name. This was serious. “Just tell me what you remember.”

Peggy frowned, rubbing her head as she wracked her brain. “I was at work. I had a meeting…” She looked up at Angie in a panic. “They want me out. They know I’m adverse to the idea of a triad, they know we’re happy together. They told me the one thing that could save my job was the thing I could never do.”

“What else?” Angie pressed, not seeming too shocked by the news.

Peggy’s face scrunched up in concentration. “I think I went to a bar? Things go a bit hazy after that.” A tall, pale haired bartender. The burn of the alcohol going down her throat. A familiar face floating in her vision. “I saw Agent Sousa?”

Angie nodded. “He helped you home. You had quite a lot to drink.”

“I’ve never known myself to be such a lightweight,” Peggy replied, sipping her coffee. Angie glanced down at her own mug anxiously.

“I thought the same thing. I wondered if you’d been drugged,” she confessed. “Look, according to your agent friend...there’s more. They sent him to get you married off and out of the picture in a ‘respectable’ way.”

An icy chill ran down Peggy’s spine, all senses on full alert even in her groggy state. “He’s in on it?”

Angie shrugged. “He claimed to be trying to protect you. I’m inclined to believe him.”

“Why?” Peggy asked, genuinely curious.

“I don’t really know,” Angie sighed. “That’s the problem.” They sat in silence for a few moments. “Do you think we can trust him?”

Peggy contemplated her response for a few moments. “He’s a good man. At least he was last I saw him. Five years is long enough to corrupt a person. But I don’t think...he survived so much from the war and retained his humanity. So there’s at least some hope.”

“He’s coming over this morning,” Angie informed her, clearing the empty dishes. “He wanted to talk to you when you could actually hold a conversation.”

Peggy forced herself to stand from her seat. “Well, then. I think I’d best get dressed.” Closing the gap between them, she pulled her partner into a tight hug, pressing a kiss to her cheek and taking comfort in the coolness of the fresh contact. “If he gets here before I’m ready, don’t open the door.”

Angie glanced nervously at the clock as she wiped down the counters for the third time. Peggy was still in the other room, not far at all. But she jumped at every sound, thinking that Sousa had returned. She wasn’t scared of him; she’d seen worse since she’d been inducted into this world of espionage and top secret happenings. But Peggy’s unease and caution left her unnerved, worried that her instincts were steering her in the wrong direction for once. Or worse, she'd let hesitance get the best of her and destroy the possibility of something greater.

Because there was no denying it; Agent Daniel Sousa was particularly attractive. At least in Angie’s humble opinion. And sure, part of it was physical. But another part was just this captivating draw that she hadn’t felt since she met Peggy for the first time in that diner. He wasn’t just a pretty face (and in the theater world she saw a heck of a lot of those). It was difficult, because in normal circumstances, this would have been a good thing. A great thing. But her life was anything but normal. Until now, it hadn’t really bothered her very much. Peggy was all she needed in a partner. But now that the possibility of something more was being dangled in front of her face, it was hard not to think about the possibilities.

She was getting ahead of herself. Possible feelings or not, if this Agent Sousa was up to no good, it was done. She’d choose Peggy every time.

Angie jumped at a noise behind her, only to find an apologetic looking Peggy wincing at startling her. The woman before her was utterly transformed; makeup applied and hair coiffed to create a deceptive suit of armor. If Angie didn’t know that this look was Peggy’s default disarming tactic, engineered to generate desire and distract, she would be all over her. It was hard not to appreciate the view, admiring the practiced casualness of Peggy’s look. At the same time, even as all her senses were being drawn to her partner, she couldn’t help but miss the small intimacies that only she was privy to. It was like she was seeing two different people simultaneously.

“Has our guest arrived yet?” Peggy asked, checking her gun, a small pistol easily concealed in the folds of her skirt.

“No,” Angie answered, eyes trained on the firearm. “You gonna shoot him?” This was the part she still wasn’t all that used to. The guns. The violence. The constant struggle for survival.

“Not planning on it,” Peggy admitted. “But one can’t be too careful.” A knock on the door caught their attention, both their heads swiveling it it’s direction. “Do you want to get it, or should I?”

“I can get it,” Angie told her, starting towards the door before Peggy caught her arm, holding her back. “Why did you bother asking if you were just going to do it yourself anyways,” Angie snapped crossly, unable to hold back the flare of annoyance.

“Common courtesy,” Peggy replied calmly.

“I’ll be fine,” Angie assured her, tugging her arm free. It came easily; Peggy’s grip was lax, a suggestion not a command. “He’s not going to try anything with you just inside.”

“Be. Careful,” Peggy pleaded, something deep flashing through her eyes. The look of someone who had loved and lost and might not be able to survive the experience again.

Leaning over, Angie pressed a soft kiss to Peggy’s cheek. “I’ve got you. I’m covered.”

With that, she hurried to the door, willing her hands to stop shaking as she unlatched the gold plated chain. Inhaling deeply, she pulled it open to reveal a nervous looking Agent Sousa. A nervous looking Agent Sousa holding flowers. A nervous looking Agent Sousa holding a bunch of gardenias, to be more precise. A faint but seemingly sincere smile flitted across his face. “For you,” he offered, holding them out for her to take.

“They aren’t poisoned, are they?” Angie asked, almost regretting it at the sight of the comical panic that crossed over his face at the suggestion.

“Oh my god, no, of course they aren’t. Do you want me to smell them or something to prove it to you?” he asked desperately.

“That won’t be necessary,” she told him, taking the bouquet and leading him inside. “My favorites. How did you know?”

“I do work at a secret government agency, I have my ways,” he informed her suavely as he followed, shutting the door behind him. Angie shot him a look over her shoulder, an eyebrow arched expectantly. He smiled at her sheepishly. “I saw you holding some in one of the photos in the kitchen last night and connected the dots,” he admitted.

“That’s better,” Angie said, not quite sure if he was lying to make her feel better. It didn’t really matter; all talk about flora flew out the window the second they entered the kitchen. Peggy was casually sitting at the table, a steaming cup of tea placed on the table in front of her, a prop that Angie knew she had no intention of drinking.

“Angie filled me in about last night,” Peggy told him, her voice light and friendly enough, though Angie could tell that this was an affected demeanor.

“Good,” Sousa replied, seeming relieved not to have to rehash everything again. “For the record, I’m really sorry about all of this.”

Peggy looked him up and down appraisingly. “I know.”

He looked hesitantly between the two women, as if unsure if he should address the topic with both of them in the room. “Have you come up with a plan?” he asked.

Peggy nodded once, eyes narrowed critically. “Yes. I plan on going about business as usual until I can find some kind of loophole.”

Sousa shook his head sadly. “You didn’t hear them. They’re determined. And if things don’t progress the way they want...I’m not sure how far they are willing to go.”

A chill settled over the room. “They would take out one of their own?” Angie asked incredulously, trying desperately to keep her cool and not panic. Had that been some kind of threat?

“For a lot of them, I was never one of their own,” Peggy replied bitterly. “I wouldn’t doubt it for a second.”

Angie shook her head in disbelief. “I don’t see how you can stand to put up with this garbage.”

Peggy raised her eyebrows. “Just like I don’t see how you can stand to put up with the sexist bullshit in your work environment.”

Angie rolled her eyes. “I’m not saying that it’s harmless, but no one is trying to have me eliminated,” she replied dryly.

“You’ve never had a problem with my profession before,” Peggy shot back tersely.

Angie crossed her arms over her chest, furious even though she knew that this sudden spike of emotion was a result of nerves and anxiety. Peggy had a point. But just because she understood where she was coming from didn’t mean she had to like it. “I’m sorry if I care if you get killed or not,” Angie huffed.

“Um, can I say something?” Sousa interrupted tentatively, his eyes flicking back and forth between the two. Peggy nodded and Angie just raised her eyebrows; it was the best he was going to get. “Look, I don’t know if there is anything anyone can do about this situation. But I do know that if you don’t seem to be cooperative...they aren’t going to stop until you’re gone one way or another.”

“What do you suggest?” Peggy asked carefully.

“Me,” he replied simply. “Look, I know it might seem counter intuitive.”

“You mean just giving them exactly what they want.”

Sousa nodded. “Exactly. Do what you do best; lull them into a false sense of complacency before you outwit them. So at least for a while...let them think I’ve seduced you both. That we’ve discovered some sort of secret love,” he explained with only the slightest hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Peggy frowned. “And what if we can’t outmaneuver them? How far are you willing to take this.”

“I’d do anything to prevent them from harming you,” Sousa told her, the sincerity in his voice strong. “Even if that means making things permanent.”

Angie glanced at Peggy, who looked suddenly very tired. “I think we’d need to discuss this. In private.”

“Of course,” he assured them, standing to take his leave. “Just let me know what you decide. Sooner rather than later, if possible. Just to be safe.”

“Thank you,” Peggy told him softly. Angie showed him to the door.

“Are you really serious about your offer? You don’t have a secret boyfriend or girlfriend we don’t know about?” she asked, half in jest, just before he stepped outside.

A dark look passed over his face, a sadness lingering in his expression. “No, it’s just me.” He gestured down to his leg and the crutch. “Turns out most people like their war heroes in one piece.”

“Well then,” Angie said after considering his words for a few moments, “most people are fools.” She didn’t miss the way his face lit up ever so cautiously and she suddenly understood that this arrangement wouldn’t be a sacrifice for him; it might just give him something society refused to. It didn’t seem like a deliberate agenda, and it was one she wasn’t even sure he was aware of, but the knowledge was comforting. He had as much to gain and as much to lose as they did. Her heart and mind were made up right then and there, but she knew she couldn’t speak on Peggy’s behalf. “I have a feeling we’ll be seeing you again very soon.”

Sousa smiled. “I look forward to it.”

Angie returned to the kitchen, standing behind Peggy in order to start rubbing her shoulders. Peggy leaned her head back, pressing gently into Angie’s chest and sighing softly.

“So, what d’ya think?” Angie asked, tilting her head a little to get a better view of Peggy’s face.

“I don’t think there’s much choice in the matter.” Angie’s hands stilled in their ministrations. “At least, I don’t have a choice. But you do.” Angie snorted. “No, really. You do. You can walk away.”

“Not happening,” she informed Peggy matter-of-factly, “I’m not going anywhere.” Her hands began moving again, the slight friction of the material generating warmth between their bodies. “Besides, I like him.”

“But we never talked about this,” Peggy continued, spinning around on the seat so they were facing each other. She gripped Angie’s hands tightly. “We’ve always been happy on our own. We’ve never wanted anyone else…” Angie looked at her hesitantly, seeing the moment of realization cross Peggy’s face. “You never said anything…” Peggy whispered in the closest thing to a broken voice Angie had ever heard come out of her mouth. That would just not do. Tugging their entwined hands, she pulled Peggy up out of the chair and into her arms, kissing her determinedly.

“Don’t for a second think that I haven’t been happy with you, with only you,” Angie demanded fiercely, resting their foreheads together. “I love you, Peggy Carter. And I could live the rest of my days only loving you and die an extremely happy woman.” Peggy smiled faintly, looking so vulnerable and small that it was probably the scariest thing Angie had seen in her life. She wrapped her arms around her partner just a little tighter. “But I can’t deny that the idea of adding someone else into the mix is intriguing, even if it’s only a political arrangement. And he seems nice...and lonely. Maybe we could all benefit from this mess. It’d be the best kind of revenge you could get on those scumbags who set this in motion.”

“What,” Peggy snorted, “giving them exactly what they want?”

“Nope,” Angie replied. “By refusing to let it crush you. You know, a very smart woman once told me about the importance of knowing one’s own worth.”

A true smile crept onto Peggy’s face, some of the spark coming back into her eyes. “Very smart, huh?”

“The smartest,” Angie insisted, emphasizing her point with a quick peck of her lips. “And she might just have a surprise waiting for her in the bedroom if she plays her cards right.”

“Better lead the way then,” Peggy replied, nuzzling her cheek against Angie’s, and for just that moment, everything felt right in the world.

Daniel Sousa could feel the strain of the past week finally catching up to him. He could hardly sleep, wracking his brain for a solution that could save Peggy and himself. He couldn’t help but feel like he was being put to the test; he didn’t particularly want to fail, but he didn’t want to betray Peggy either. He didn’t entirely trust her (and knew for a fact that she was probably just as wary of him), but he trusted her intentions, which was more than he could say for his superiors.

The news that Peggy and Angie had accepted his offer was something he was not quite sure how to react to. Sure, there was relief, a first hurdle cleared. But where this went was unclear; and he couldn’t delude himself into thinking this was anything more than a business arrangement. Just because it had been years since he’d been on a date didn’t mean anything. He just had to stay focused on the task at hand, the bigger picture.

Something that was becoming increasingly difficult to do. His eyes felt strained, the sure sign a headache was threatening to hit. He was dealing with mountains of paperwork since his official assignment was supposed to be on the sly and his fake workload was stressing him out almost as much as his covert operation. And it was barely even noon.

All of these factors led to his utter shock (and the very slightest of shrieks) when something large and delicious smelling was suddenly plopped onto his desk, shoving his piles out of the way. Upon closer inspection he observed that it was a wicker picnic basket, complete with red and white checkered cloth poking out the sides. He looked up to see who had granted him this gift and was only partially surprised to see Angie Martinelli with a satisfied grin on her face. “Hello, there,” she greeted cheerily.

“Hello,” Sousa replied in a daze. “What's all this?”

“Our lunch. I’m taking you out,” she informed him matter-of-factly.

“Oh?” Sousa asked, unsure of how to proceed. Though Angie’s face was playful and flirtatious, her eyes held a serious look that appeared to be meant for his eyes only. “How’d you even get in here? I thought these offices are restricted.”

Angie shrugged, dusting some invisible dirt off of her skirt. “Peggy’s always forgetting her lunch. When I’m not working I just stop by and drop it off. They all know me here.”

“They do, do they?” Sousa asked carefully, his eyes seeking out Director Harper, who just so happened to be in the room during Angie's impromptu arrival. He mentally made a note to check if she was under surveillance. Harper locked eyes with him, nodding once. Sousa was more than happy to escape the confines of a room which once held so much promise but now felt like little more than a prison. “Well, I guess it’s my lucky day. Where are we headed to have this fine picnic?”

Angie laughed, her voice clear and strong and sweet, striking a nerve deep down in his psyche. “Central Park, of course.”

“Naturally,” he quipped, slipping into his suit jacket and grabbing his hat. “Lead the way.”

“I thought this would be a nice spot,” Angie said, pointing underneath a large oak tree. “Away from prying eyes and ears,” she added softly into his ear, gently stroking his cheek with her fingers. Her actions were carefully flirtatious in a way that would make old ladies click their tongues by such a public display but would not make someone suspicious of their relationship. Sousa had to admit, she was good.

Leaning down, Sousa buried his face into her hair, murmuring softly as if he were confessing his deepest, darkest desire. “Don’t be too sure, I think you have a shadow. They knew you were coming to see me.”

Angie let out a completely disproportionate giggle, slapping him playfully on the chest. “Oh Danny, you’re a hoot.” Beneath her act, Sousa could see her alarm. “Come on, let’s get settled down, I know the Agency isn’t going to let me keep you all day.” She made quick work of setting up their meal, spreading the blanket and setting out a few sandwiches wrapped in wax paper before Sousa could offer to help.

Leaning heavily into his crutch, Sousa maneuvered himself onto the blanket, letting himself mostly fall to the ground once he was low enough. Setting it down, he placed his hands behind him and leaned back leisurely, glancing at Angie, who was staring at him in horror. He suddenly went on high alert.

“What’s wrong?” he asked softly. “Do you see something?”

Angie shook her head frantically, quickly composing herself. “No, no, nothing like that. I just never even thought about the fact that sitting on the ground might be difficult for you, I’m such an insensitive-”

“Ms. Martinelli. It’s fine,” he said, stumbling over his words. “Yes, I’ve got an artificial leg, but I’m far from helpless.”

Angie smiled at him softly, pain and regret crisscrossing her face. “I know. I just should have known better.” She nodded resolutely. “Next time, someplace with chairs.”

“Really, I’m okay,” Sousa insisted, reaching over and grabbing one of the sandwiches. “So, what do we have here?”

“Egg salad on wheat? Didn’t know what you liked and I figured that was pretty basic,” she explained.

“Did you make this?” he asked before taking a bite and holding back a groan; it may have been the best sandwich he’d ever had in his life.

Angie nodded, grinning proudly. “I used to work in a diner. Picked up a trick or to.”

“I’ll say,” Sousa mumbled around mouthfuls. “This was really sweet of you to set this up,” he told her once he managed to swallow.

Angie shrugged. “Figured it’d do well for us to get to know each other better, considering the circumstances.”

The bite of the sandwich in his mouth suddenly turned to chalk as he suddenly came back to reality. “I’m really sorry you’ve gotten stuck in this position, Ms. Martinelli.”

She shook her head determinedly. “I’m right where I want to be.” She brushed some crumbs off her lap onto the grass beside them. “Oh, and if we’re doing this? You can call me Angie.”

“Anything you want to call me is fine, just don’t call me late for dinner,” he quipped. Angie groaned. “What?” he asked, acting affronted.

“Nothing,” Angie told him, shaking her head fondly. “I think we’ll get along just fine.”

More or less, things had settled into a comfortable pattern. The three of them had gone out to dinner and other dates several times, very public displays with a measured amount of affection to seem believable. Although making it look convincing wasn’t really that much of an issue, at least where Angie and Sousa were concerned. _No, Daniel_ , Peggy corrected herself. _Daniel_ and Angie had hit things off splendidly; it turned out they had grown up in neighboring towns and actually had a few friends in common. Besides that, they seemed to click almost instinctively; Peggy tried her hardest not to let it bother her.

She wasn’t entirely succeeding.

It finally came to a head on the first truly brisk fall day. As Peggy made her way to their apartment, she seriously regretted opting not to bring a coat with her to the office, lulled into a false sense of complacency by the tantalizing rays of morning sun. It was still early, but the light that had brought such promise barely had any impact once the noon hour came and went. She planned on calling up Daniel once she got home to see if he’d like to go come over for some coffee. He hadn’t been at work, but that wasn’t in and of itself unusual; it was Saturday after all, and while the SSR never completely stopped its operations, it tended to have more of a skeleton crew on the weekends unless there was an impending crisis.

When Peggy arrived home, she walked into a seemingly empty apartment. It wasn’t right; Angie was supposed to be here right now. She hadn’t mentioned any errands that morning over breakfast and there were no notes in sloping cursive and elaborate hearts waiting for her on the counter. Peggy fingered her pistol, on edge. Suddenly noise came from the bedroom, a soft rustling and then the padding of footsteps. Without hesitation, Peggy drew her weapon, pointing it at the intruder and shouting, “Freeze!” as they came into view.

“Woah, calm down Sweetheart,” Angie muttered, hands up in the air, skeptically eyeing the pistol Peggy was already lowering. “A little much, don’t you think?” She was wearing only her robe, an airy almost silky fabric that clung to her alluringly. Huh. She must have taken a nap.

Peggy shook herself, trying to clear her head. “I thought something had happened.” Angie’s face fell incrementally; if she weren’t a trained operative, Peggy would have missed it. “Something did happen, didn’t it?”

Angie opened and closed her mouth a few times, but before she could form the words, Sousa emerged from the direction of their bedroom. Peggy registered in horror that his white shirt was only halfway buttoned, revealing a thatch of curly dark hair. “Oh. I see.” Reeling, she turned around, unable to look at the two of them in their state of partial undress without her mind jumping to where they must have been just minutes before her arrival _in her bed_.

“Peggy, wait,” Angie pleaded, taking a tentative step forward. Peggy stayed, but kept her back to the pair. “We didn’t mean for this to happen like this, we should have talked to you about this first.”

Peggy grinned wryly. “You wanted my blessing?” she asked, her voice thick from fighting off tears.

“We wanted not to hurt you,” Sousa insisted.

She turned back to face them. “Well, it’s too late for that, isn’t it?” she said before heading straight for the door and rushing out into the street. In her haste, she once again forgot a coat, but she didn’t care. The cold felt good, numbing. It gave her something to focus on other than her life crumbling before her eyes. It was one thing that she was probably going to lose her job if she couldn’t find some sort of loophole. As devastating as that was, it barely held a candle to the prospect of losing the love of her life for the second time. _This is why you don’t get attached_ , she chided herself sternly. _People only hurt you or get hurt by you. It’s safer alone._ She wasn’t sure she actually believed it, but right now the emotion behind it felt better than wallowing.

She wandered the city for at least an hour before it dawned on her she had no idea of where she was headed. She couldn’t go back home, not yet. Finding the nearest phone booth, Peggy fished in her purse for a few coins, slipping them gently into the slot before dialing a number she knew by heart.

A click as the line was answered. “Hello?” the familiar voice greeted with a tone of neutral professionalism.

“Hello, Mr. Jarvis.”

“Ah, Miss Carter. How are you this afternoon?”

Peggy sighed heavily. “Not well, I’m afraid.”

“Oh dear.” She could almost hear the frown in his voice. “Would you like me to see if Mr. Stark is available?”

“That would be wonderful,” she sighed, rattling off a meeting place.

“He will be there as soon as he can,” he replied.

“Thank you, Mr. Jarvis.”

“Anytime, Miss Carter.”

Peggy was just walking up to the agreed upon location when she noticed Howard already seated on a bench, calmly reading a newspaper, as if he had been expecting her. “That was fast,” she commented, slipping onto the seat next to him.

“I pride myself on efficiency,” he informed her, folding up the paper carefully before tucking it under his arm. “What’s wrong, Peggy? Jarvis said you sounded upset on the phone.”

Slowly, she told him the whole story, from the threat of losing her job to the attempt at a triad. She didn’t give him the particulars of what had transpired that day; just because she knew way too many details about his personal life didn’t mean that she wanted him to know everything about hers. But she did manage to convey the gist of her feelings, which really had nothing to do with the presumed intercourse and more to do with its implications for her own future. The more she talked the more foolish she felt. She had put herself in this situation and here she was overreacting. “You probably think I’m crazy,” she muttered, sinking into the back of the bench as she finished her tale.

Howard shook his head vehemently. “Not at all. I think I know what’s bothering you.”

“Oh really?” she asked skeptically, crossing her arms and arching her eyebrows. “Please, Howard, tell me how you know what I’m feeling.”

He shrugged. “This doesn’t have to be like last time, you know.”

Peggy pursed her lips. “I don’t think I have much say in the matter.”

“Look, Peggy, I’ve known you and Angie for years now. That girl loves you to the moon and back. You can survive this. And, you know, a triad can be very fulfilling. Or so I’m told.”

A snort escaped from Peggy. “Says the man who had never been in a committed relationship in his life.”

“There was that one time that lasted two whole weeks,” he protested, clearly more for her benefit than a desire for any actual kind of confrontation. “But in all seriousness. Angie isn’t Steve. This other guy, he’s not Barnes. History only can repeat itself if you let it. And who knows, you might surprise yourself. Look, if you’re not into the whole triad business, fine by me. But you should take a real hard look at why. And don’t just act on impulse based on scabbed over wounds.”

Peggy pinched his cheek playfully. “See, I knew there was a reason I kept you around.”

Howard snorted. “You just like me for my butler.”

She shrugged. “He is rather useful.”

“So you’ll think about it?” Howard asked as he stood to leave.

Peggy nodded. “And I think some apologies are in order.”

Peggy was positively freezing by the time she arrived back at the apartment, her hand trembling as she tried to fit the key in the lock. Soft sounds of movement in the kitchen greeted her, so different from her earlier arrival. However, instead of Angie bustling around it was Sousa plodding across the room, ferrying dishes from the refrigerator to the table one by one. He looked up as he heard Peggy enter and froze. “Angie went out and she asked me to stay in case you came back,” he explained hastily. “Peggy, I’m so sorry, I-”

“It’s alright, Daniel,” she assured him, holding up a silencing hand. “If anything, it’s I who should be doing the apologizing. I shouldn’t have run out earlier.”

“We took you by surprise. To be perfectly honest, we took ourselves by surprise as well,” he admitted.

Peggy smiled weakly. “I figured as much.” She walked over to the kettle, checking the water level before placing it on the stove and clicking the burner on, the flame of the gas range flaring blue as it ignited.

“We should have all sat down and talked about it, that’s what triads are supposed to do with big important decisions. And I know that this is far from a conventional situation, but that’s no reason to act so hastily. I know this can’t be easy for you.”

“It’s not,” Peggy conceded, pausing for a moment before she continued. “How much has Angie told you?”

“Not much,” he confessed with a shake of his head. “She said it was your story to tell.”

She inhaled deeply, preparing herself. “I just need you to know that all of this? It has nothing to do with you or this situation.” Sousa nodded. “I’m sure that you are aware that I was involved with Steve Rogers and Sergeant Barnes during the War?”

Sousa smirked playfully just for a moment, a twinkle in his eyes. “I thought that was Betty Carver,” he replied with an air of mock innocence. Peggy playfully slapped his arm, marveling at the momentary sense of casualness, like this was how they always were. “Sorry, go on. Yes, I’m aware.”

“Things were...complicated. We weren’t quite a unit in the way that you referred to. We all got on well enough, but to be perfectly honest...just about the only thing Bucky and I had in common was our affection for Steve. We made it work, and of course it was rough for me when he died, but it was mostly because of how hard it hit Steve. I mean, they had been friends since childhood and lovers since their teens. There was no way I could ever compete with that.”

“Is that what you’re worried about?” Sousa asked softly. “Having to compete with me for Angie’s affections?”

Peggy shrugged. “Something like that.”

“She loves you, you know,” he informed her.

“I know. So does everyone else, apparently. You’re not the first person to say that today.”

“Well, it’s blatantly obvious,” he conceded. “Look, I’m not a threat.”

“Oh?”

“Well, for one thing, Angie isn’t the only woman I have feelings for.” He fidgeted with the half assembled sandwich on his plate. “You know, I had a big crush on you when we first met.”

“Really?” Peggy asked. “You never said anything.”

He shrugged. “It wasn’t professional. Besides, things got complicated fast. I just....I need you to know I’m not here just for Angie. I’m here for you. And if that just means helping you anyway I can, that’s fine, I can be okay with that. But I’m not choosing Angie over you; I’m choosing both of you.”

“That’s going to take some getting used to,” Peggy admitted.

“Perfectly fine,” Sousa assured her. “And I hope you don’t feel pressured into anything, I don’t want to guilt you into something you have no interest in.”

Peggy shook her head determinedly. “No. It’s more a matter of me never allowing myself to consider the option before now.” The kettle on the stove began to whistle shrilly. “Now that that’s settled, how about some tea?”

It was late by the time Angie returned home. Sousa had left hours ago to get ready for an early shift the next morning. Peggy had changed into her nightclothes and pulled on a dressing gown, reading by a lamp in the living room, though her mind had a hard time focusing on the words on the page. The conversation with Daniel kept playing through her mind. She couldn’t help but think of the possibilities, even the terrifying ones. Peggy looked up from her book as she heard the door shut, sliding her red reading glasses off her nose and setting them on top of the book which she placed on the round side table.

Angie stopped in her tracks when she caught sight of Peggy. “Hi,” she said meekly, twisting her hands nervously. She looked like a schoolgirl about to be chastised for misbehavior, a strange sight in a woman pushing thirty.

“Hi,” Peggy greeted her back timidly, not quite knowing how to ford the gulf that had suddenly popped up between them.

“Are we going to be okay?” Angie finally asked softly. Peggy nodded, and Angie visibly relaxed in relief.

“Come here,” Peggy asked quietly, reaching out her hand. Angie carefully crossed over to her, taking the peace offering, and let herself be pulled into Peggy’s lap. Peggy buried her nose in the familiar softness of Angie’s hair as she held onto her tight, just breathing for a few minutes. “Daniel and I had a good chat. I explained the situation.”

Angie sighed heavily, shifting so that she could see Peggy’s face. “I know, I knew about everything and I should have known better and-”

Peggy leaned forward to capture her lips in a kiss. “Stop that, okay? I know what you did wasn’t malicious.”

“That’s no excuse for not being sensitive about your feelings.”

“It’s quite alright,” Peggy told her, a lump forming in her throat. “You were falling in love. It’s only natural to lose a bit of decorum in those kind of situations.”

“I’m already in love. With you,” Angie insisted.

Peggy smiled at her fondly. “I know. But you have more than enough love to give. I’m just going to have to get used to sharing you, that’s all.”

Angie hesitated, biting her lip before finally speaking. “I don’t want this to be like before. I don’t want to put you through that. I know it’s a complicated situation, but if this whole arrangement with Danny is too hard on you then we’ll figure something else out, just you and me, okay? Got that?” Angie told her earnestly.

Peggy rested her head against Angie’s, the day’s events playing in her head like a color film reel. “You’re right. I don’t want this to be like last time.” A pause. “What if I said I might be interested in exploring things with Daniel?”

Angie shoved herself more upright, clearly shocked. “Really? And you’re not just saying that because it’s what you think I want to hear?”

“I promise,” Peggy pledged. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about it. I can’t make any promises…”

“That’s perfectly acceptable,” Angie assured her.

“But there’s no use in not giving things a go. Besides, there’s still the pesky matter of my job to figure out regardless of how things work out in our personal life.”

“We’ll find something to make things right,” Angie assured her. “Come on, let’s get to bed, I’m wiped.”

Something strange turned unpleasantly in Peggy's stomach, her imagination providing images of what had happened in there while she was out. Of course, given her consent to explore the possibilities of a broader relationship, such speculation was pointless and should have no bearing on anything. Still, perhaps because the incident in question occurred prior to this epiphany, she hesitated. “Don’t worry, we changed the sheets,” Angie told her dryly. “Come on, sleep. It’s late.” She extracted herself from the tangle of Peggy’s limbs and pulled her partner to her feet.

“Speaking of, where were you?” Peggy asked, curious what kept her out so long.

Angie blushed, shrugging a little while suddenly becoming fascinated with a point on the floor. “I had an audition,” she confessed.

“Angie, I thought you were going to take it easy!” Peggy cried, hating how clingy and overprotective she was being, but seeing the woman you love almost die a few months ago was something you didn’t just get over. Angie might have liked to brush off her illness like it was nothing, but it was Peggy who had stayed by her side through the worst of it, nursing her back to health by some miracle.

“Hey, just in case this all falls through and you lose your job, someone’s gotta be the breadwinner in this family,” Angie told her with a sly grin. “Come on, we can argue in the morning. Sleep now.”

Sousa couldn’t help but feel a little thrill as he felt his key ring jingle in his pocket, just a tad heavier than it had been the day before. He’d never been given the key to someone else’s apartment and it was kind of a thrill. Angie and Peggy had taken him completely off guard the night before when they had handed him a small, perfectly wrapped box with the small life changing piece of metal inside. He knew he was being kind of silly, but he had a feeling that they knew how much it meant to him.

“Hey, Sousa, get in here,” Molby barked at him, gesturing with his hand as if he was calling a dog. The casual distain irritated Sousa, though it was certainly aggravated by his present assignment.

He hated getting summoned to the director’s office, even when he was only speaking to the number two in command. Sometimes he thought that was worse. He just couldn’t help but feel like his very soul was being watched, like his superiors knew he real intentions when it came to Peggy and Angie. And that terrified him.

“Yes, sir,” he answered dutifully, quickly making his way into the office. He didn’t want to dawdle and make them think anything was amiss. Molby, sitting behind his painfully organized desk, was alone in the room. Sousa shut the door quietly behind him, taking a seat in the small chair facing the Assistant Director, unable to shake the feeling that he was a child being summoned to the principal’s office.

“So. Have you made any progress?” Molby asked, his voice laced with a deceptively detached boredom.

“Yes, if you saw my latest report-”

“I mean towards marriage,” Molby interrupted harshly.

“Sir, you can’t rush that kind of thing, they’d be suspicious…”

Molby raised his eyebrows expectantly, arching his fingers as he tapped them against his lower lip. “You’re a smart man, Agent Sousa. I’m confident that you’ll figure something out.” He paused. “We wouldn’t want anything to happen to Miss Martinelli, after all.”

Time screeched to a stop, Sousa's heart pounding obnoxiously loud in his ears. “Sir?”

Molby laughed, the sound cold and unfeeling. “Relax. No one is talking murder. But there are people who could make it particularly difficult for her to find employment. Although that won’t really matter once you are married, now will it?”

“I’ll get on it, sir,” Sousa informed him tersely.

“Wonderful!” Molby gushed in artificial cheeriness. “I knew you had it in you.”

Peggy looked up automatically at the sound of the door opening. Setting down the dishes she was laying out for the meal Angie was whipping up, she walked over to greet Daniel as he came in, a soft contented smile already sitting on her face. A few months ago, hell, a few weeks ago, the idea that she would be comfortable with someone besides Angie having a key to their home would have been mindboggling. A small part of her was still on guard, suspicious and alert for the first signs of danger, but it was a small part, fading rapidly by the day. She wasn’t wrong about Daniel. She couldn’t be.

“Hello, stranger,” she greeted with a coy sultriness as he came into her line of sight. He looked up at her, eyes serious and almost vacant, looking ten to fifteen years older than the last time she saw him less than twenty-four hours before. “Daniel? Is everything alright?” she demanded, her voice warbling ever so slightly in concern. The other shoe was about to drop.

“They’re putting pressure on me to move things along quicker…” he told them carefully, pulling out a chair from the table and sinking into it, looking as if he was in danger of melting right through the furniture. Angie glanced in their direction as she blew on the wooden spoon before sampling the sauce she was crafting and making a dissatisfied face. She locked eyes with Peggy, silently telling her she was going to take a back burner on this one but was here for support if need be. Nodding once, Peggy took the seat next to Daniel, taking his limp hand in her own and rubbing it absentmindedly.

“What do you mean? They want to move up the timetable?” she asked as she gently stroked his skin.

A noisy exhale rattled through his mouth as if her were trying to expel all of the foul air associated with the words he had to say. “They threatened to blackball Angie if we’re not married soon.” The clattering of a measuring spoon filled the stunned silence. Peggy stole a glance at Angie, who had turned to face them, white as a sheet and petrified.

“That’s not going to happen,” Peggy assured them both firmly. “I won’t let it.”

“Peggy…” Sousa began, but she cut him off.

“No. There’s nothing more to say. As of tomorrow, I will be submitting my resignation.”

“I can’t let you do that,” Angie’s trembling voice stopped her. “You love that job.”

Peggy shook her head firmly. “I love you more. I’m not about to let you suffer because they’re after me. You’ve done nothing wrong. There’s no other alternative.”

Angie raised her eyebrows challengingly, arms planted on her hips and her lip curled to the left. “We could just get married.” The words hung in the air for a moment, and Peggy almost considered it. A brief vision of a small, private, simple ceremony flashed before her eyes before it was crushed by reality. She looked over at Sousa, unable to read the strange, startled look on his face.

“If we do, they win,” Peggy sighed heavily. “If we get married because they say so, what’s next? What’s to stop them from demanding children? And what if we can’t conceive or don’t particularly want to at the moment? I’m not going to live my life with that kind of threat hanging over me.” She shook her head sadly. “I had a good run. But I was done with the S.S.R. the minute this scheme was hatched. I was hoping for a little more time, but we were fooling ourselves trying to escape the inevitable.”

“You’re a good agent, Peg,” Daniel said suddenly, his voice cracking. “This isn’t right.”

Peggy shrugged. “I’ll just have to figure out other ways to do my part, that’s all.”

The elevator ride that took one from the entryway into the S.S.R. building through the telephone company front to the top floor took approximately forty-seven seconds, assuming one was not interrupted by being summoned to another floor first. In many ways it was a technological wonder. For fun Peggy had timed it at various intervals, coming to the conclusion that a direct trip rarely wavered more than a second or two in either direction, and that could probably be explained more by a slowing timepiece than the lack of efficiency of the machine.

Today, however, as soon as the doors slid shut, time had slowed. Glowing numbers indicated their progress, moving in slow motion. She was hyper aware of the man shifting uncomfortably next to her. Peggy reached up to adjust her favorite if slightly dated bright red hat, wanting to feel put together.

“You don’t have to do this,” Sousa finally sighed next to her, though he didn’t sound entirely convinced. A glance at his direction showed a face pinched with worry and concern, and for some reason that made Peggy more nervous than she was before.

“Daniel, we’ve talked about this. There’s no other way.”

“At least let me come in with you,” he pleaded.

She turned to face her faux-beau. “I appreciate the offer, but I think I’d be better on my own.” She tried to ignore the carefully concealed look of hurt on his face. Thankfully (or not, depending on how you looked at it), the doors opened, providing the perfect interruption. “I’ll see you at home,” she told Sousa softly before thrusting her shoulders back and striding into the squad room with as much confidence as she could muster.

With a sharp rap, she knocked on the opaque glass of the director’s office. “Come in,” a muffled voice instructed and she carefully turned the brass knob and stepped inside.

“Agent Carter,” Director Harper greeted, his voice curling around her name in a slimy way that almost made her shudder, though years of training allowed her to suppress it. “To what do we owe the honor?” he asked with a mocking sarcasm that caused Peggy to mentally envision all of the ways she could painfully disembowel him if she ever had the opportunity in order to retain a pleasant look on her face.

“I think you already know, Director,” she replied sharply, and the excited way his eyes lit up like a raging inferno confirmed for her that he indeed knew. Peggy made a mental note to sweep the apartment again for any kind of bugs; perhaps Howard would be able to supply her with something to catch anything she might have missed. She pulled a sealed envelope out from her purse and slid it across the mahogany desktop until it rested right in front of the director. “My letter of resignation,” she informed him simply, getting ready to take her leave.

“Where are you running off to?” Director Harper asked in affected confusion. “We’re not quite finished yet. Take a seat.” Peggy didn’t budge. “That wasn’t a request.”

Peggy forced herself to take a deep breath before replying. “As the contents of that letter indicates, I am resigning from the S.S.R.. Therefore you are no longer my superior-”

“Until I accept your resignation, you still work for me. Sit. There is someone who should be here for this,” he shot at her nastily. Reluctantly, Peggy situated herself on the hard wooden chair in front of the desk. Harper walked over to the door, wrenched it open and barked, “Sousa! Get in here!” out into the squad room. Peggy tensed at hearing Daniel’s name; she had the distinct feeling that something bad was about to happen, that maybe her job wasn’t the only one on the line. Maybe they had been found out, maybe…

Sousa looked nervous as he made his way into the room. “Sir?” he asked uncertainly, his eyes briefly flicking to where Peggy sat primly.

“You are probably wondering what Agent Sousa is doing here,” Harper said to Peggy. “You don’t have to hide it anymore. I know about your little love affair.” Peggy opened her mouth to speak but Harper started up again before she could. It probably was a good thing; he didn’t need to know that she was on to him from the start. “Carter, I’m sure you are aware that dating in the workplace is ill advised?”

“Sir, I don’t see how this is relevant-”

“Fraternizing makes people sloppy. We can’t afford that. Which is why I cannot accept your resignation. I’m firing you for it, you’ll get a dishonorable discharge for such behavior.”

“Excuse me?” Peggy roared in disbelief, flinging herself to her feet.

“I’d like to see you try getting hired anywhere with that on your record. It’s probably for the best, a woman your age should be home caring for children, not playing at espionage.”

“This is what you wanted all along,” she hissed, fuming. “You wanted me gone, you were the one who pressed me to find a relationship when that is none of your damn business. You have some nerve…”

Harper smirked. “Call me whatever you like, _Miss_ Carter, but you no longer have the security clearance to be on this floor. Leave now before I have you escorted out.”

“Fine,” Peggy replied tersely. “I’ll just collect my things.”

“Immediately,” Harper commanded in a voice that begged her to try and contradict him. “Agent Sousa can gather anything that’s not classified and bring it to you.”

“This isn’t over,” she warned, turning to go. As she passed Sousa, he reached out with the arm not curled around his crutch and held her back. “Let go of me!” she demanded in a barely contained whisper, yanking herself out of his grip. It wasn’t his fault and she immediately regretted being so harsh, but he had to understand, she couldn’t take his pity right now. She couldn’t show Harper anything but her best and most resilient. He wanted to break her; she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

Peggy tugged her coat close at her neck, shivering against the misty haze that the weather had dissolved into. The chill was fitting her mood; however, it did nothing to calm her nerves. A car pulled up next to her, sending a filthy spray of road sludge in her direction. She managed to swerve out of the way just in time, suddenly noticing she knew the car. The driver side door opened and a tall man stepped out.

“My apologies, Miss Carter. I didn’t mean to startle you.

“Oh, but you were trying to drench me, Mr. Jarvis?” she asked, a soft smile creeping onto her lips in spite of everything.

“You look like you survived,” he noted primly, examining her carefully. “Are you alright?”

Peggy let out a tired sigh. “Let’s just say that this has been the highlight of my day.”

Jarvis winced. “My apologies.”

Peggy snorted. “Unless you’re the director of the S.S.R., you have nothing to feel sorry about.” A bob of her head gestured over to the car. “I take it that you didn’t just happen to spot me on the sidewalk and decide to stop for a friendly chat?”

“Ah, you saw right through me,” Jarvis teased in an exaggerated manner as he held open the passenger door before taking up his place behind the wheel. “Mr. Stark asked me to track you down. He might have found a solution for your employment problem.”

The light quickly faded from Peggy’s face. “It might be too late for that,” she told him softly.

Jarvis frowned at her as he shifted the car into gear. “It’s not like you to give up so easy,” he remarked, his voice even and lacking in judgment.

“I’m not giving up. I just don’t have much of a choice if they decide to decimate my service record.”

Jarvis stiffened. “Miss Carter, you are one of the most ingenious people I know. You’re probably more clever than Mr. Stark.” He paused, his words hanging in the air between them. “Please don’t tell him I said that, I’ll deny it if you do.”

Peggy couldn’t help but laugh at that. “I think he might agree with you.”

“What I’m trying to say is that yes, you’ve made enemies, but you’ve also made a lot of friends. You’ve earned the respect of a lot of people. That’s got to count for something.”

“I knew there was a reason I kept you around,” Peggy told him, a reluctant grin creeping onto her face as he sputtered in protest. “Mr. Jarvis? Thank you for being one of them.”

Chester Phillips never saw himself as a politician. Yet that is exactly what he had become. His younger self would probably be horrified if faced with his present incarnation, but he had long ago made peace with the incongruity. His years in the military had shown him two truths: most bureaucrats were useless, and politics was the only way one could truly promote and protect one's interests in peacetime. Not that it could really be considered peace, what with the constant threat of nuclear annihilation, but it was the closest thing to peace possible after the dropping of the bomb, and he suspected it was the new normal he’d be forced to become accustomed to.

Leaving the S.S.R., his brainchild, had been one of the toughest decisions of his life. Phillips had poured every bit of himself into that organization. Yet as the war ended and new threats emerged, he felt suddenly distanced from that life. He’d been so focused on defeating the Nazis for so many years that suddenly being focused on a new target was disorienting. He didn’t find the cause any less worthy, but it was no longer his. It belonged to the next generation. His future lay elsewhere; he could do more good in the political sector. His record had spoken for itself. Being the man who, in part, was responsible for the creation of Captain America certainly helped too. He had won a bid for the House of Representatives in 1948, snatched up a Senate seat in 1950. He already had some connections in this world from his involvement in the agency, and he quickly managed to make friends in high places and get himself placed on various committees that would benefit from his military experience. Overall, he was content in his life.

Still, what Howard had told him was troubling. Peggy Carter had been one of his best operatives, and while he could understand why a less secure man might feel threatened by her, the very idea of forcing her out just made no logical sense. Phillips started digging, finding more and more information of alleged corruption in the ranks of his former institution. He heard whispers that there was a movement to shut down the agency, something that went as high up as the White House. The idea pained him but he understood its necessity. One doesn’t hold onto a limb with a festering wound just because of silly sentimental notions. Instead, one must boldly go forward, not dwelling on the loss, but looking towards the possibilities of the future.

“Howard, what’s going on?” Peggy demanded as she met up with her longtime friend in the lobby of a relatively nondescript office building. “Where are we?”

Smiling his patented grin that Peggy didn’t trust for a second, Howard linked their arms together. “Jarvis, I think I can take it from here.”

“What’s here?” Peggy asked, making only a minimal effort to conceal her frustration.

“We’re going to see an old friend.”

Something about his words clicked in Peggy’s mind and she stopped in her tracks. “Steve?” she asked incredulously.

The cheerful look had vanished from Howard’s face at the name, replaced by regret. “Peggy, no, I didn’t mean, I’m sorry.”

Peggy shook her head abashedly. “I was being ridiculous,” she admitted.

“Stranger things have happened,” Howard assured her. “Right era though. We’re meeting with Chester.”

“Phillips?” Peggy questioned, looking at him curiously. “As in now Senator Phillips?”

Howard shrugged. “I thought he might be interested in what’s become of his baby.” Peggy arched her eyebrows at him. “The agency, sheesh, give me some credit.”

“I don’t see what he can do. He’s out of the agency, he doesn’t have any authority to reinstate me.”

Howard’s eyes sparkled. “Maybe he can do you one better.”

It was taking everything Sousa had in him not to walk into that office and tender his own resignation. It had only been hours since Peggy had left and the snide grins being shot in his direction were becoming unbearable. But he was afraid to leave, worried that the powers that be would punish him through Angie for his loyalty to Peggy. He had to let them think that he was their pawn, that he had no will to oppose them. _It didn’t work for Peggy,_ a voice in his head reminded him. He tried to ignore it. Until he could get home and form a game plan, he couldn’t do much else.

Of course, he had been saddled with massive amounts of busywork; clearly an effort to keep him occupied and head off any funny ideas of noble protest. Sousa’s face scrunched up with a particularly strong yawn and he barely heard the ding of the elevator. He did hear, however, the clamor that erupted once someone stepped out of it.

“Miss Carter, I thought we told you that you no longer have clearance here!” Director Harper shouted, his face contorted into a ferocious rage, spittle spraying from his mouth with his vigorous speech. Sousa’s breath hitched in his throat as Peggy recklessly crossed the room, passing by the men who were so startled to see her they did nothing to stop her progress. Peggy handed a sealed envelope to the director.

“If you take a look in there, I think you’ll find that you are quite mistaken. Oh, and it’s Director Carter now,” she added with a sickeningly sweet grin. Sousa’s eyes widened in shock. That was a new development.

 “On whose authority?” Harper blustered, tearing open the letter and furiously examining it, his brow furrowing so low that it threatened to spill into his eyes.

“Just a little fellow known as the President of the United States,” she informed him with a skewering look.

Harper shook his head furiously. “This has to be fake, this is absurd.”

Peggy gave an affected sigh. “If you would like to bother such a busy man about this, be my guest. But he’ll just confirm what I’ve already told you.”

“We’ll see about that,” he grumbled, stalking off into his office and slamming the door shut.

Peggy turned to face the men in the room, most of whom were still gawking at her. “I’ve worked right alongside you all for a while now. I know what kind of agents you are. If there are any among you who want to be on the right side of history, who want to fight the real fight, then I urge you to apply to our new organization, S.H.E.I.L.D..

“The S.S.R., for all of its past greatness, doesn’t seem to know how to deal with the U.S.S.R.. We’re losing the Cold War, and we will continue to do so unless we have competent leadership and a seamless team. We will have a board of governors and  a built-in system of checks and balances, to ensure that we don’t duplicate the corruption rampant here in the upper ranks.”

The director’s office opened, revealing a disgruntled looking Harper. “Do what you came here for and get out,” he muttered darkly, looking at Peggy like she was something on the bottom of his shoe.

“Wonderful,” Peggy declared, striding over to Sousa’s desk. “So, what do you say?” she asked, a twinkle in her eyes.

“I love you,” he blurted without thinking, but he didn’t regret it. What good was it to regret the truth?

“Oh, I’m so happy for you,” Angie gushed as she held Peggy in a tight hug. “This is everything you deserve and more.”

“Thank you,” Peggy told her, blushing.

“And you, this is great!” Angie added, turning towards Sousa. “No more hating your bosses!”

“Yeah,” he agreed shakily. “Sure.”

Peggy frowned, her celebratory mood vanishing like fog under the sun’s harsh rays. “Daniel? Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he said, his tone contradicting his words. “Just been a bit of a whirlwind day, that’s all.”

“Tell me about it,” Peggy muttered, more to herself than anything as she pondered what could be troubling him. He had been quieter than usual on the trip home, but she hadn’t taken much note of it at the time. “Is it about the job? Is it because I’m going to be your boss? Because if that’s what it is, I’m sure we can work something out-”

“That’s not it,” Sousa sighed. “It’s just...we only got involved because of the whole mess at the S.S.R., and now that neither of us work for the agency any more…I’d understand if you want to break things off.”

Peggy shared a startled look with Angie, who just shrugged her shoulders. “Is that what you want?” Peggy asked him carefully.

“No,” he replied vehemently. “But-”

“Then you have nothing to worry about.” Peggy quickly stepped forward, cupping his cheek as she leaned in for a kiss. “You’re not getting rid of us that easily.”

“Peg’s right,” Angie told him, wrapping her arms around both of them. “You’re stuck with us.”

“Really?” he asked disbelievingly, and his surprise broke her heart.

“Really,” Peggy assured him. “Come on, tomorrow will come soon enough. In the meantime, we’ve got some celebrating to do.”

Epilogue: Six Years Later

“Ugh, is today over yet?” Peggy groaned, burying her face in her left hand, her elbow digging uncomfortably into the hard wood of her desk. Most of the time she loved her job. But she had quickly discovered that the paperwork required for actually running a government agency was quite nearly as evil as the enemy they fought day in and out.

“Almost,” a familiar voice assured her.

“Daniel, I love you, but please don’t tell me you need anything approved or have a report to submit,” she pleaded with him desperately. “I’ve been trained to survive torture. I have survived torture. This is worse.”

Sousa’s face darkened at her words. “I didn’t know…”

Peggy shrugged, trying to let it slide off. “It was part of the job. I accepted that. Besides, I had it easy, I was able to escape.” She pushed herself back from her desk, taking a deep breath as she stood and tried to let the past stay in the past. “Now, what did you need?”

“To see your beautiful face,” he told her softly, pulling her into a soft kiss. Normally they steered clear of public displays of affection in the workplace, but this was her office and the door was closed and it had been such a long day…

“Is that really all?” she asked quietly, letting the smooth material of his tie run through her fingers as they pulled apart but kept close.

“Hmm,” he hummed. “That and to tell you Angie’s stopping by with the kids. Figured we’d be working late and wanted us to get in a proper meal.”

Peggy grinned. “What would we ever do without her?”

“I don’t ever want to find out,” Sousa agreed. “When she called she told me the kids are really taking to the theater. She thinks Cynthia might be a natural.”

“That’s nice…” Peggy sighed. “Do you ever feel guilty for not being with them enough?”

“All the damn time,” he assured her. “We do the best we can.”

The intercom on the desk came to life. “Director, your wife is here to see you,” her secretary Darleen’s staticky voice crackled.

“Thank you, send her in,” Peggy answered, hitting the reply button. The door had barely opened when she was almost knocked off her feet by their two children stampeding towards her. Cynthia, being the oldest at age five, reached her first, but her little brother Steve wasn’t far behind. He had always been a little small for his age, but he was quick. Kind of like his namesake. “I hear that you two had fun at the theater with Mommy today?”

“Yeah!” the kids echoed in unison.

“That’s really nice, I’m glad,” she told them, hugging them close as she shared a look with Angie. So much had changed since they had first gotten together all those years ago, but they could still say more in a glance than most people could in an entire conversation. A sudden welling of emotion rose up in her, regretting too how little she and Daniel had been able to see Angie alone, away from the kids. It didn’t sit well with her. “Hey, you,” she whispered in Angie’s ear as she pulled her in for a tight hug. “Thank you.”

Grinning, Angie stuck out her arm and pulled Sousa into the embrace as well. “Hey, if this is the only way I get to see the both of you…”

“We’ll work on that,” Peggy and Sousa said in unison.

Angie threw her head back and laughed. “I know you will. I’m not worried. I miss you though.”

“It goes both ways,” Peggy assured her.

After a few moments of being ignored by the adults, Cynthia and Steve were distracted by her desk and somewhat important looking chair, barely remembering to ask if they could play over there. As if Peggy could say no to her children. Their conversation petered off rather suddenly, all three of them distracted by watching the kids play.

“I’m Mum,” Cynthia declared proudly, sitting high in the chair with her chin thrust upward in a child’s pantomime of importance.

“Why do you always get to be Mum?” Steve whined. Peggy wondered if he’d managed to get much of a nap. “Not fair!”

“You can be Dad or Uncle Howard,” Cynthia informed her brother matter-of-factly.

“But I wanna be Mum!” he insisted.

“You can’t be Mum, everyone knows that you have to be a girl to be Director of S.H.E.I.L.D..”

Frowning furiously in a way that made him suddenly more look like his father than he already did, Steve shot his pudgy little hand out and held on tight to a lock of Cynthia’s hair. Her face contorted in pain as tears and mumbled cries spilled from her.

“Steven Rogers Sousa, let go of your sister right now,” Peggy ordered, leaping into action. In a matter of seconds she managed to extricate the two children. Both of them huffed at the other at opposite ends of her arm span, Cynthia's face splotchy and red from the tears. “Cynthia, are you okay?”

“He hurted me!” she whined, fresh tears threatening to fall.

“Yes, he did, and he’s going to apologize for that,” Peggy assured her. “However, you weren’t being very nice to your brother either.”

“But-”

“No buts,” Peggy told her firmly. “You know the most important job your Mum does?” Cynthia shook her head. “Sometimes I have to do things I don’t want to do. But I do it anyways because I know that it will make the most people happy, that it will keep the most people safe. Sometimes even directors have to compromise. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes, Mum,” Cynthia said glumly. “Sorry, Stevie.”

“Sorry I pulleded your hair,” he apologized, sounding utterly repentant.

“Now are you two good?” Peggy asked, standing up and releasing them from her loose grip.

“Yes, Mum,” the replied together.

Angie and Sousa were both wearing identical goofy looks once she rejoined them.

 “What?” she asked, feeling unusually defensive.

“Nothing,” Angie shrugged.

“You’re just so good at that,” Sousa added.

“Oh so I see how it is, you married me so I could discipline the children,” she teased, turning to her wife. “Now, Daniel mentioned you were bringing food? I’m famished.”

In a few minutes, their little family was having an impromptu picnic around her now cleared desk. It wasn’t the typical family life, but Peggy had been bucking norms since her teens when she enlisted. Sitting in her office eating sandwiches with the four most important people in her life...it felt right in a way she never thought possible. Things would never be easy; simple wasn’t in her vocabulary. But between Daniel and Angie, the kids and her work, she really did have it all.

**Author's Note:**

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